Back to Normal

Welcome back from our long weekend.  I hope you all got a chance to relax and recover from all of your hard work during MCAS.  All of the information you will need for class one this week can be found in my last two blog posts.

I cannot wait for all of my students to be published podcasters!!!  I will work my hardest to get your podcasts and your blog designs assessed and grades in to X2.  Please be patient with me as I have nearly 300 of each to listen to and look at!!

Our podcasting project has been very fun, but I am eager to move on to our next topic.  I think you will enjoy using Google forms.  You have already been using them, but now you will be creating your own!!  The uses are endless.  In fact, you should check out this video.  It shows how a teacher is connecting with her students using Google forms.  I think you'll enjoy it.

Many thanks for your honesty and thoughts on the iPad survey.  We will be putting that data to good use.  If you would like to speak at the School Committee meeting in May be sure to see me!!!  You guys rock!!

Spring Has Sprung.....FINALLY!!

Well I think we are finally safe!  Today is the first day it felt like Spring has finally arrived.  As I was walking around Mashpee Commons this afternoon, people were smiling donned in shorts, flip flops, instead of heavy coats, hats, and mittens.  Little girls were wearing their pretty little Easter dresses and little boys were wearing their "Sunday best" as well hoping to catch a glimpse of the Easter Bunny.  It is amazing how a little bit of sunshine can change attitudes.  The head down hustle and bustle of the dreary winter days has been replaced with a more casual heads-up strolling.  It is as if we all took a collective deep breath today.  I hope  my students are enjoying their long weekend.  It is well deserved after the long past two weeks of MCAS testing.  Although the forecast for tomorrow night does include some percipitation; it will most likely be easier to take because it will be wet not white.  HAPPY SPRING!!!!!


You're never too old to get candy from the Easter Bunny!





ILT Scavenger Hunt

image link:  http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/hunt/hunt002.shtml

MCAS has most definitely turned our schedule upside down!!!  One of my classes will be meeting this week without me in another lab as the modified schedule has me double booked!!!  I wouldn't want my students getting frustrated with trying to edit with a substitute in a strange lab so I have something else for you to do instead.  Ms. Sweeney had a great idea (once again) and shared it with me.  She created a "Scavenger Hunt" for her students to complete.  This scavenger hunt is a review of some computer skills we have worked on this year.  Just in case you are a bit rusty, there are some links to resources and reminders throughout the process.  Next week some students will be finished with their podcasts while other classes are needing a bit more time; so they will be doing this activity during class one.  Please read carefully, think, and then do!!
Follow the steps in order.  I will try to think of a "prize" to share with those of you who complete this hunt successfully.  Have fun!!!
Mrs. White's Scavenger Hunt

If you should finish this scavenger hunt and there is still time left in class, please do any of the following:

• Work on your own blog-you should have at least 4 good posts by now.
• Complete the "Student Blog Information Survey" if you have not yet done so. Be sure to click on the correct link for your ILT class.
• Check out some of the new posts in your Google Reader.
• Clean out your pdrive
• Clean up your Google docs and Gmail

(You are NOT to play games on line or on your workstation.   This would not be using your most effective effort strategies!!!)

Catching Up....Almost

image link:  http://wwwdragonflies.wordpress.com/2011/07/22/podbean-for-podcast-hosting/

Well Mother Nature threw another curve ball at us this past week, or should I say two curve balls?!  Even though the snow storm on Tuesday didn't dump much snow in our area, it certainly had an enormous impact as it caused our MCAS schedule to be altered.  The domino effect of those changes as continued in to this new week.  The second curve ball came on Friday morning when we had a 2 hour delay of school; causing even more of my students to miss tech class last week.  I will not be seeing some of my students this week at all!   YIKES!!!  We will continue on and see where we end up on April 1 (no fooling)!!  So those students who do have class this week will finish up with their podcasts.
Once podcasts have been finished we will be creating accounts in Podbean.  This is where your podcasts will be hosted. Please watch this screencast Ms. Sweeney created showing you not only how to create this account, but also how to upload your first podcast.  Now that you know how to create your account please go to Podbean and do so. I would like you to make some adjustments to your accounts.  Please go in to "My Profile" in your Podbean account and change your password.  I would then recommend adding this user information to your School Sites Tables, or at least write it down on your podcast rubric for now.  I would then like you to go to the "profile and settings" tab.  Once there, select "privacy".  I would like you to change the "friends" option. It can be either or the other two options.  In addition, please change the setting for who can see your profile from the default to one of the other two options.  Be sure to save the changes to your account.
You will not be able to upload your Audacity .wav files directly in to Podbean.  You will need to import the .wav file in to Adobe Soundbooth; and then save it as an MP3 file.  Once you have done this you will be able to bring it in to Podbean.  You will then be able to follow those steps Ms. Sweeney gave you to upload your podcast!  You should have already created a post on your Google docs.  Simply copy and paste that text in to your Podbean account and you are good to go! You do have a limit of 500 characters for your post (about 3 tweets worth) so choose your words carefully. Once you hit that upload tab you have officially started your career as a published podcaster!!

Enjoy your long weekend.  You deserve it after all of your hard work on MCAS!!

Happy Easter!
Happy Passover

image link:  http://animation.dinamobomb.net/1/40.htm

Help Please!   I would like you to take a moment and respond to this survey.  Thanks in advance for your help!!!

Learning with iPads-Student Survey

Time to Edit

Now the fun really begins!  You will take your raw audio tracks and work some magic using Audacity.  Please be sure to save a new "edited podcast" version.  You will have your original track saved; just in case!!  You can edit with your partner or you can each edit on your own.  The choice is yours.  Please be sure to use your available resources.  There are many mentioned in previous posts.  You may also search for more if you are having difficulty finding answers.  Please help one another out.  You will become the experts at this!!!  So have some fun.  I cannot wait to hear your finished podcasts!!

Audacity Resources:

How to Podcast

Audacity Tutorial: Part 1

Audacity Tutorial: Part 2

Audacity Tutorial: Part 3 Basic Editing

Using Equalization in Audacity

Audacity Tutorial: Part 4 Voice Editing

Audacity Tutorial: Part 5 Simple Mixing Music with Voice

Remove Background Noise

Google Reader....Going, going, GONE?!!!

Last night Google made the announcement they would be shutting down Google Reader as of July 1st.
YIKES!!!!  I cannot imagine losing this awesome app!!!!  I am not alone in my concern.  Dan Lewis, has started an online petition to Google to Keep Google Reader Running.  Google states their reasons for the shut down to be two-fold.  First is a decline in usage.  Secondly, they are going to focus their energies and resources in to fewer products.  What will be next?   We will have to pay attention to the response those of us signing the petition and others protesting this decision get from Google.  Stay tuned!

Technology Homework for Families

This week I am assigning homework to my technology students and it involves parents/families. This is a rare event, and I am hoping my students will take this assignment seriously.  I am trying to accumulate some data to better serve the families and students of our school.  I would like to ask our families to take a very brief, four multiple choice question survey.  This survey should not take any more than 5 minutes to complete, and it is completely anonymous.  The questions address knowledge and usage of some of the on line resources available to our students and their families.  The survey will remain open until Friday, March 22nd.  The results will be used to increase awareness and accessibility of these resources if deemed necessary.  I would like to thank families in advance for taking the time to complete this survey.  Have a great day!!

      Family Survey:  Resource Use

image link:  http://www.snapsurveys.com/blog/customer-feedback-survey-business/

Take Two

We are so close.  Unfortunately there were too many factors which were out of our control.  Between fire alarms, absences, and many other things, we were not able to finish recording our podcasts in one week.  Oh well, this is why we are flexible. Needless to say we will be finishing up our recording this week.  I hope most of you will be done in the middle of class one and will be able to start editing.  While your classmates are recording, you will need to remain silent.  If you have found your music please create a new blog post.  I made a suggestion in my last post.  Please take a look.  You should have a minimum of four good posts on your blog at this time.  Please be sure to use your blogging guidelines and have a classmate edit your post.  Check for those "I's"!!!!

When you get ready please use some of the resources below to help you edit your audio tracks.

Audacity Resources:
Document:  Editing Effects in Audacity
Document:  Read How to Edit in Audacity

You should have found your music last week, but just in case you did not please be sure to take the time to do so.  Remember- you will be using open source music.  The music should enhance your podcast.  Think of it as the whipped cream and cherry on top of your sundae.  Your words are the ice cream and toppings; the important part.

I hope we can stay on track with our due date, but I will let you know at the end of the week if we are adjusting it.  So no stress, please!!!!  

Quiet on the Set!!!!

We are transforming Lab 231 in to a recording studio this week.  This is a bit of a challenging task.  For our recording artists to have the best possible environment it is going to be very important to have the rest of us sitting silently at workstations engaged in interdependent activities.  You will appreciate the silent room when it is your turn to record.  Remember-we only have 15 minute recording sessions!!!!  When you and your partner(s) are not recording you will be following the procedure below.  It is very important to remain in your seat and raise your hand if you have a question.  This is probably the only time I will ask you not to use one another as resources this year.

Copyright, Plagiarism, and Fair Use Review:
You will be adding some music to your podcast during the editing phase next week and/or the following week.  Before you even begin thinking about music, it is important for you to understand which music can be used “legally.”  We have had some discussions about copyright and fair use this year already.  I also know you discussed this topic in grade 6 ILT classes.  It is important to have a good understanding of this topic.  Please be sure to carefully read, watch, and listen to all of the provided resources before moving on to the suggested sites for finding music you can use in your podcasts.
You will start off this review by watching a Prezi created by Ms. Sweeney.  Be sure to read all text, and view all videos completely.  You may want to review some of this information more than once.

Copyright, Plaigairism, and Fair Use  
http://prezi.com/m9vvdhjaxngp/copyright-plagiarism-fair-use/
A great prezi created by Ms. Sweeney

Cyberbee Copyright & Fair Use Interactive Game  
http://www.cyberbee.com/cb_copyright.swf
You may have done this last year, but it is worth doing again.

Copyright Kids
http://www.copyrightkids.org/
Another great interactive site.  Please take the time to click through each of the different components on this site.  Remember to read, listen, and watch each completely and carefully.

Taking the Mystery Out of Copyright
http://www.loc.gov/teachers/copyrightmystery/
Four great links within this interactive site.  Go through them all carefully.

Before starting your search for music you may want to check out this great opportunity to win prizes and some cash. How you ask? You could create a doodle 4 Google!

Create a Google Doodle:
“Doodle 4 Google is an annual program that invites K-12 students in the United States to use their artistic talents to think big and redesign our homepage logo for millions to see.
This year, we ask students to exercise their creative imaginations around the theme, “My Best Day Ever…” One talented student artist will see their artwork appear on the Google homepage, receive a $30,000 college scholarship, and a $50,000 technology grant for their school along with some other cool prizes!”

Theme:  “What’s Your Best Day Ever?”
Watch the video, “Doodle 4 Google 2013”
Explore the Frequently Asked Questions:  FAQ’s
Check out the History of Doodle 4 Google:  Doodle History
Please do NOT print forms.  Your classmates are recording!!!!  If you would like forms they can be found at the end of each row.  Either raise your hand and wait for me or quietly go grab a form.

Search for Podcast Music:
Now that you have reviewed the information regarding copyright and fair use, you may start searching for music you think you would like to use in your podcast.  You are NOT working with your partner on this.  You will have to share what you have found with him/her next week and make a decision about which music you end up using for your final product.  Below are some sites where you will be able to find “creative commons” and copyright free music.   We are only using open source (copyright free) music for this project. You are NOT to go on to You Tube, Pandora, or any sites like these to listen to music.  This activity is not listening to music for enjoyment, but finding good and appropriate music for your podcast.  Remember- your words are the most important part of the podcast.  The music should only enhance your project.  Your audience should remember what you say, not the song you selected.

How to Download, Save, and Cite Music
This is a screencast created last year showing students how to download music for their digital stories.  The process is exactly the same for your podcasts.  The only difference is you will not be saving it in a “digital storytelling folder” on your pdrive.  Simply save it in your pdrive.

Music Sites:
Creative Commons Audio
http://creativecommons.org/audio/
The name says it all.  You will find a variety of music for your podcasts and other digital media projects.

Community Audio
http://archive.org/details/opensource_audio
A good site for podcast music

Freeplay Music
http://freeplaymusic.com/
Another site with music categories suitable for podcasts and other forms of digital media

Good luck!!  Think about your podcast topic.  It is usually more effective to use music without lyrics (instrumentals) as your words are the most important part of your project.  You don’t want to use a song which will have your audience singing along!  Think out of the box!!

One more option- BLOGGING!!
Recording is taking a bit longer than expected due to absences and fire alarms going off. Some of you may have completed the work on this post and still need to remain quiet in your seats while classmates are recording. If you have finished reviewing copyright, found and saved your music, and doodled for Google, please create a new blog post. You have the guidelines in your binder/folder. Please be sure to follow them. If you are struggling for a topic, I would love to hear your thoughts on the following:
What do you think about students having iPads all day in class and also being
able to take them home at the end of the day? It is called a 1:1 iPad Project.

If you are in favor of this, please be sure to explain why you think it would be a good thing using examples. If you are opposed, please do the same. Please feel free to go on line and do some research. There are many schools currently using iPads in the manner. You may want to check out this video, "Weston iPad Movie."